A mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is formed by multiple moving nodes equipped with wireless transceivers. The mobile nodes communicate with each other through multi-hop wireless links, wherein every node can transmit and receive information. Mobile ad-hoc networks have become increasingly important in areas where deployment of communications infrastructure is difficult. Such networks are used for communications in battle fields, natural disasters, fleets on the ocean, and so forth Numerous papers have been published on this topic. For example, C. Xu, K. Liu, Y. Yuan, and G. Liu, “A Novel Multi-Channel Based Framework for Wireless IEEE 802.11 Ad Hoc Networks”, Asian Journal of Information Technology, 5, 44-47, 2006 describe a framework for multi-channel management in such networks.
A vehicular ad-hoc network (VANET) refers to a mobile ad-hoc network designed to provide communications among nearby vehicles and between vehicles and nearby fixed equipment. W. Chen and S. Cai, “Ad Hoc Peer-to-Peer Network Architecture for Vehicle Safety Communications”, IEEE Communications Magazine, 100-107, April 2005 present background material and a networking approach that uses local peer group architecture in order to establish communications among vehicles.
The use of multiple channels allows for simultaneous communications among a network of moving nodes, representing vehicles, and increases the network throughput. Existing channel assignment methods use distributed decisions wherein each node determines which channel to use based on local information on channel availability at neighboring nodes.
The present invention focuses on establishing a communications path among an ordered sequence of moving nodes, representing vehicles. The ordered sequence of nodes can be viewed as a directed linear tree topology where a link interconnects a node only to its successor node in the ordered sequence. A channel is used to send information from one node to the next on a wireless link. The set of available channels may differ from one node to the next due to external interferences, other ongoing communications that involve some of these nodes, different equipment used at the nodes, and the like. Each of the available channels at a node can be used for receiving information from its predecessor node in the sequence or for transmitting information to its successor node in the sequence. However, the same channel cannot be used at a node for both receiving information from its predecessor node and transmitting information to its successor node in the ordered sequence of nodes. Note that the channel used to transmit information from some node is the channel used to receive information at its successor node in the ordered sequence of nodes. The first node in the sequence, or some nearby system, has as input the information of the set of available channels at each of the nodes in the ordered sequence. The invention provides methods that determine an optimal sequence of channels assigned to the wireless links that interconnect the ordered sequence of nodes. A sequence of channel assignments is called optimal if it establishes a communications path from the first node in the ordered sequence of nodes to the last node in that sequence, or, if such a path does not exist, it establishes a communications path from the first node to the farthest node possible.
The invention uses global information from all nodes in the sequence to come up with a globally optimal sequence of channel assignments. Current systems use distributed methods wherein each node selects a channel for transmitting information using information from only a subset of nodes.